RE Headphones - I also love listening to music via headphones. In the days before everyone had mp3 players I used to spend about an hour listening to music from my stereo via headphones before going to sleep. Agree with Brumby about when bands utilise stereo properly; sometimes it's like you can feel the music moving from one earphone to the other. I think the Rolling Stones are one of the best bands for this personally.

Also, as much as I prefer vinyl I would never suggest I am going to start buying records instead of CDs. I will simply buy albums that my favourite bands release on both vinyl and CD, as well as completing my favourite band collections on vinyl. Some people think I'm a bit crazy spending my money that way, but meh, it's what I want

Didn't know that. The difference isn't apparent on playing them on the stereo or the PC, but its noticable on earphones. But then I'm the guy who once spent an entire afternoon installing half a dozen of the most popular music players on the PC and figuring out which sounded the best Could be all in my head.

Perhaps one of the audiophiles here can explain why vinyl of new recordings (digitally recorded, say, on Pro Tools and digitally mastered in same) should sound any different to the same recording played on a CD or sufficiently high bitrate non-physical media?

Vinyl pressings of analogue recordings mastered with analogue compressors sounding better than digitisation of said old recordings, that I get (digitisation is, obviously, an approximation of the original sound waves). But surely bands who record digitally but release their recordings on vinyl is nothing but a marketing ploy?

Perhaps one of the audiophiles here can explain why vinyl of new recordings (digitally recorded, say, on Pro Tools and digitally mastered in same) should sound any different to the same recording played on a CD or sufficiently high bitrate non-physical media?

Vinyl pressings of analogue recordings mastered with analogue compressors sounding better than digitisation of said old recordings, that I get (digitisation is, obviously, an approximation of the original sound waves). But surely bands who record digitally but release their recordings on vinyl is nothing but a marketing ploy?

Look, I'm going to be honest, I have no technical expertise or anything. I just prefer the sound, it seems more direct, hard to explain really. Could all be in the mind, but plenty of people on the GNR forums have agreed that they prefer listening to the vinyl of Chinese Democracy.

Interestingly enough (or perhaps not) I was watching an old Axl Rose interview last week, from just before the UYI release, and he said he expected those albums to sound better on CD because that was what it was made for. UYI is one of my vinyl wants, seems easy enough to get hold of a mint-edition but not overly cheap, but will have to see if I agree with him or not when I get it

Hmm, pretty sure i've got UYI I on vinyl here, dunno about the disc quality though

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Just checked, in good nick, amazing what you can find in charity shops

"All are lunatics, but he who can analyze his delusions is called a philosopher." - Ambrose Bierce

Langeveldt: I of course blame their parents.. and unchecked immigration!GingerFurball: He's Austrian, they tend to produce the odd ****ed up individualBurgey: Be careful dealing with neighbours whose cars don't have wheels but whose houses do.Uppercut: Maybe I just need better strippers

Well, vinyls apparently sound 'warmer' (I haven't listened to many, though, so I can't really comment). However, there are those bloody clicks and they don't last for as long as CD's. In terms of convienience, mp3 easily wins. Based on that criteria, I'd vote for mp3 (and because you can edit the audio on mp3's easily).

What on earth are you talking about? Analog recordings will still be in perfect working order when digital ones will long have degraded.